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Shep had bought the ring. He had help from Arpegius picking it out and he was going to propose the next time he saw her. He was on call till tomorrow, he would do it tomorrow. Shep kept thinking about it while cleaning his ship.
“What would be the best place? What should I say?”
He began to practice his speech.
“Stella, I’ve known you almost my whole life. We’ve been together through all our biggest achievements, your first hit song, my job as planet protector.” A very esteemed position only offered to Interstella’s finest and best cadets. “And I want to be there for all the achievements that follow.” then he would pull out the ring.
Shep couldn’t tell why he was so nervous, he was sure Stella was going to say yes, and he was sure that he wanted to marry her. He had known ever since he had met her, when he had become friends with Arpeius as kids and he met his quiet and shy younger sister. He was only ten, and she was nine, but he knew one day he would marry her. He had asked her out during the release of their first album, at the listening party. Hard to believe that it was five years ago now. Since then The Crescendolls had become a global success, meeting their leader and recognizing wherever they go, Shep had become a global hero with hisworm as planer protector. Sometimes Shep had missed how it was in their early relationship, they could go anywhere they wanted, do anything, without turning heads and being approached, but he wouldn’t trade what he had now for the world.
He had finished cleaning the ship and decided to go on break. All Planet Protectors had the same ship, bright blue and yellow, Stella joked it had looked like her guitar and had placed an order for one that looks like his ship. Shep wondered if it had come in yet. She should be at her concert right now, probably opening the show.
Shep laid down on his bed and stared at the posters of Stella he had. He thought it was silly to have posters of his girlfriend, but Stella insisted. She had bought them for him and hung them up. Making sure to put the one of just her over the bed. While it was still kind of silly, every time Shep looked at the poster he smiled remembering her standing on tip toe on her bed trying to reach the ceiling. He had thirty minutes he could be on break before he had to go back to the control panel, he let his mind wander on the poster.
He thought about the future he had with Stella, what they would do, and their wedding, when suddenly his entire room was flashing red. Although being a Planet Protector was a national honor, nothing ever happened. Something really bad must have happened for the alarms to be going off.
He ran to the front of the ship and answered the call. Three Planet Protection novices appeared on the screen. Their job was to monitor that planet’s outer rim for any intruders. They began telling him what had happened and showing surveillance footage of The Crescendoll’s concert being hijacked and the performers being kidnapped.
Stella
Where was Stella
“WHY WEREN”T YOU DOING YOU JOB?!?!?”
Shep wasn’t the kind of man to yell, but he wouldn’t feel bad about it, any type of slacking off would have been bad, but this led to the kidnapping of his girlfriend and his best friend.
“I’m sorry sir, it’s just, it was the Crescendolls first concert, and it was recorded. We were watching them and didn’t notice the ship come in.”
Shep hung up the call and began tracking the ship he was told Stella and the others were on, racing to reach them.
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Shep lay on the floor unaware where he was. The only thing he knew was the increasing pain in his shoulder. He could faintly hear people’s voices around him and he thought he might be able to pick out Arpegius’ voice among them. But he was too tired and the pain in his shoulder was too distracting.
“She’s almost here.” said a boy who sounded like Arpegius but didn’t look like him. Somehow he knew this was Arpegius but the reason why he looked different evaded him, just out of his reach.
A girl walked in, Stella. Stella. He had something to tell Stella. But what was it?
“Will he be alright?” Stella asked, Shep shook his head. This was the end for him, but not yet.
He reached out his hand to her. One last time he would hold her like he used to, one last time he would see her true color and not this horrid pink. She hesitated. It was unbearable holding out his hand, but he did it, he did it for her.
She sat behind him and took his hand. All his pain disappeared as he focused on the simple pleasure of her hand in his. He had something to show her.
“It might not be the right time, I might not be the right one. But there's something about us I want to say. Cause there’s something between us anyway.” Shep looked away and blushed, after years of dating she still entranced him, even when he was about to leave her. “It might not be the right time, but there's something about us I've got to do. Some kind of secret I will share with you.” Despite the pain, Shep reached down and pulled out a ring.” I need you more than anything in my life, I want you more than anything in my life.”
Stella nodded and cried, he took that as a yes and slid the ring onto her finger. This was definitely not how he was planning on asking her. “I wanted to take you to the dandelion field, but I figured now was better than never.” he let out a light chuckle. “ I’ll miss you more than anything in my life. I love you more than anything in my life.”
His hand fell from where he was holding hers and he let his eyes close.